


Leisure

by absolutelyCancerous (cal1brations)



Category: The Legend of Zelda
Genre: F/M, Fluff, bc link and zelda are cute, just cute things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-24
Updated: 2013-11-24
Packaged: 2018-01-02 13:29:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1057325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cal1brations/pseuds/absolutelyCancerous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Then again, Link is a bit of an odd one. Green tunic and all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Leisure

He doesn’t particularly mean to interrupt her, but here he is, standing in the doorway of the princess’s study, holding his hat in his hands quietly as he waits for her to look up from her work, or at least give him some notion that she is aware he’s standing there.

Instead, she sits up to brush back her hair, and jumps upon noticing the polite Link standing in the doorway, somewhat uncomfortable with giving her such a fright.

“Come here,” Zelda addresses, and he steps to her desk in five swift steps, bowing his head properly. It looks awkward, because Link is extremely awkward, all lanky limbs and sincere smiles. His hair swings over his shoulders as he bends his head down properly, then flings back into place when he snaps back up to look at her.

“What can I do for you?” She asks, sitting back in her seat. She feels powerful, and it makes her feel like a little girl again, playing with her father’s crown and robes.

“Well, uh, miss—Princess! They—I uh, need, a signed note from, um, you—“ He sighs, trying to gather his thoughts without choking so terribly. Zelda waits in amusement.

“That town across the field refuses to let anyone in unless they’ve a note from you.”

Her pleasant expression quickly turns sour. “Is that so?”

Link nods, and his bangs bounce a little in the action. “The guards there don’t believe my word.”

Zelda sighs, flipping though her papers to gather a blank piece of stationary and her quill. She curses when she can’t find the ink well, but is surprised when Link shyly picks it up from under a form on her desk, offering it to her with a smile.

She sighs, dipping the quill in and smiling softly in return. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” Link answers quietly, and Zelda notices the blush of his cheeks before she turns to scrawl him a note; she might as well  _follow_  him around on these errands, if no one believes she’s sent someone on her behalf.

Then again, Link is a bit of an odd one. Green tunic and all.

When she finishes, she blows on the note, fanning it and waiting for the ink to completely dry. Link is wringing his hat a little in his hands and Zelda smiles at him once again.

“You don’t have to be so nervous. You’re doing me a very large favor.”

He nods. “My pleasure.”

She laughs, giving him a playful look. “Aren’t there other things you’d rather be attending to? Aside from my errands?”

Links face goes a marvelous shade of pink as he shakes his head. Zelda hands him the letter, but their fingers touch for far too long, long enough for her to know that he definitely needs a new pair of gloves, something she has been thinking about gifting him for awhile.

Link slips his hat back on, tossing his head to the side to fix his bangs from getting mashed up beneath it.

“Many thanks, Princess,” he tells her, and Zelda quietly giggles; it’s not so much that he talks oddly, more than the fact he has a bit of an accent she’s not familiar with, and the way he says certain phrases.

“You’re certainly welcome. And—Link!”

He snaps around, and she leans her elbows on her desk.

“After you’ve spoken to the head, you’re free for the rest of the day. A token of my thanks.”

Link gapes a little, but nods vigorously, bowing again to her. He stumbles a little bit, because he’s bowing at a slight angle, but Zelda does not berate him, only laughs at his gratitude.

“So  _many_  thanks, Princess! I’ll do a good job!”

She watches him take off down the hall, and rests her chin in her hand as she looks at the documents on her desk. She figures she can take a little time off herself as well, and makes her way out into the gardens. She ends up falling asleep in the grass, warmed by the high afternoon sun.

.

Zelda wakes to Link hanging over her, the utmost of concern on his face as he says her names several times over.

“ _Oh_ ,” he sighs, flopping to sit down next to her. His hand on her shoulder is very distracting. “You’re alright. Thank Heavens.”

She notes the sky is a dusty rose, early evening.  She sits up on her elbows, watching the hero try to catch his breath. He reminds her of a worried hen, and she snorts, very unladylike.

“What?” He asks, genuinely concerned, and Zelda laughs harder, laying back down, her head upon his knee. The action sets Link on high alert, and makes the blood rush to his face—he’s not accustomed to the princess being so…lax.

“I said you had the day off,” she tells him offhandedly, “and yet, here you are.”

“Here I am.”

She smiles. “ _This_  is not taking a day off, Link.”

He pulls a little face. “I think so.” Said face goes a little red. “I enjoy the princess’s company.”

Zelda laughs, watching Link above her look elsewhere, nervously adjusting his hat instead of trying to speak again.

“I enjoy time with you, too.”

Link perks up—really. She feels his knee jump a little as he sits up straighter, looking down at her with a huge grin.

“Really?”

“Of course,” she assures, patting his hand. She notices his armguards are still on, and smiles. “You take such wonderful care of me on-duty—“

“I could do that off-duty,” Link blurts out, before covering his mouth and looking askance. The tips of his ears are even pink, and Zelda smiles, fixing the strings of his tunic with delicate fingers. When she lets her hand rest on his chest, she feels the hammering of his heart, and pats his chest gently.

“That would be nice.”

He glances at her, testing the waters. He speaks with his mouth still covered. “Really?”

The princess nods, gently pulling at his hand and letting her fingers lace between his. His gloves are so beaten up that she can feel the heat of his palm from them, the nervous trembling of his hand against hers.

“Your gloves are disgusting, Link,” she mumbles, kissing his knuckles and watching him try very hard not to blush to death. He has no problem swinging a sword in the face of danger, or riding around the whole damn world, but a kiss to his knuckles, gloved knuckles, has him lightheaded with delight.

“They’re old,” he splutters, “my apologies.”

Zelda laughs, sitting up on her own. Their thighs press together, although she is facing one way and he the other, but she only leans over to kiss his ear chastely before she slaps a hand on his shoulder to hoist herself up.

Link stares at her as she brushes off her tunic—it’s short, like his, and he notices she’s wearing leggings and slippers, not a gown. He questions her clothing, and Zelda smiles, offering him a hand up.

“I’m allowed to dress for my own comfort, once in awhile.”

Link nods, feeling stupid, and mumbles, “You look very nice.”

She lets Link take her inside then, and makes sure to tell the guards waiting for them at the entrance that yes, she is alright and yes, Link did a fantastic job of finding her. Link watches her swagger off, smiling at him quietly over her shoulder before she rounds a corner and heads upstairs, her finger making a “come here” motion behind her back as she ascends the steps to her room.

He’ll chase after once he’s done being swarmed by Hylians of her court, many of them twice his scrawny size.


End file.
